Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



I. M. MILBANK.

Breech-Loading Fire-Arm. No. 65,585. Patented Jpne ll, 1867.

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ISAAC M. MILBANK, 0F GREENFIELD, HILL, CONNECTICUT.

Letters Patent No. 65,585, dated June 11, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREEGH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, ISAAC M. MILBANK, of Greenfield Hill, in the county of Fairficld, and State of Connecticut, have invented, made, and applied to use a certain new and useful Improvement in Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the said invention, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making a part of this specification, wherein- Figure 1 is an elevation of said fire-arm at the breech, showing part of the stock and barrel.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the same, the position of the breech and its parts when open being shown in dotted and red lines; and

Figure 3 is an elevation of the rear end of the breech detached.

Similar marl-rs of reference denote the same parts.

Breech-loading fire-arms are well known, in which the forward end of the breech-block is hinged at or near the rear end of the barrel, and latches and bolts have been employed with such breech-blocks to hold them when closed against the action of the charge when exploded. The nature of my said invention consists in a segment of a cylinder occupying a circular recess in the back end of the swingingbreech, in combination with a lever, by which the same is turned, to lock the said swinging-breech by turning the said segment so as to enter a recess in the abutment, or release said breech by the reverse movement, the one lever acting to turn the cylinder and also to move the breech-block in opening and closing the breech. This construction is very simple, strong, and eflicient, and easily kept clean and in repair.

In the drawings arepresents a portion of the barrel, and b a portion of the stock. eis the swinging breechblock hinged at dto the rear of the barrel. 0 is the metallic abutment at the rear of the breech-block c. z'is the segment of a cylinder placed in a hole formed partially in the abutment e and partially in the rear end of the breech c. The breech 0 contains more than half the segment i, and hence its cylindrical form prevents said segment falling out at the rear of the breech-block c, and I provide an, axis or pin that projects from the inner end of the segment into a hole in the side of the block, so that said segment may rotate at this end on said axis. The segmental portion 2' of the cylinder does not extend'all across the breech-block 0, but a round part is left at z, fig. 3, so as to be. a guide in turning at this end. This segment z'is retained in the rear end of c, and its extent of turning motion to the proper points determined by a screw, 0, entering a slot in the concave surface of breech c. The segment 2' might be hollow, and fitted to turn on a. stationary pin within the hole in the breech-block c, or any other convenient means employed for retaining it in place. The cylindrical part of the segment 1' is extended beyond the side of the breech c, and receives a lever, f, which, when the breech is closed, hangs at the side of the stock against a stop, I, and said lever becomes a handle for partially rotating the segment i and opening the breech The lever f is so placed that the hammer m in being discharged sends the lever fully down to the stop Z, and turns the segment i into'the correct position for holding the breech-block down, or in case the said lever is not sufliciently turned, it arrests the movement of the hammer, and prevents the discharge of'thc piece when the breech is not properly closed. When the segment i is turned into the position shown in fig. 2, it takes the recoil of the explosion, and it can be made to fit sufliciently tight to take the whole force of the recoil, and the surfaces being of considerable area there is no risk of compression or injury, and the portion at :2: of the cylindrical pin is sufiicient to prevent the rear end of the breech rising, should there be any tendency to dose.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The segment of a cylinder, 2', within a recess at the rear end of the swinging breech-blocl c,.in combination with the lever f that is empldyed for both turning the said segments and opening or closing the breech by the block 0, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. I

2. I also claim supporting and guiding said segment 4' by the cylindrical portion at 2:, as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature this twelfth day of December, A. D. 1866.

' v I. M. MILBAN K.

Witnesses:

LEMDEL W. SERRELL, Gnomes D. WALKER." 

